Tell it to Sunstar: Call on House to reject nat gas bill
aggas, a network of faith-based organizations, cause-oriented groups, sectoral representatives, and communities opposed to the continued expansion of the gas industry in the country, condemned the bill on developing the natural gas industry pending before the Committee on Energy of the House of Representatives for forwarding the interests of big business ahead of energy consumers, the environment, and the health of Filipinos.
The Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Development bill was approved today by the Committee on Energy, paving the way for its discussion in the plenary session of the House of Representatives.
“The continued use of fossil fuels in the country will do nothing to help communities or the environment. Fossil gas will kill the livelihood of fisherfolk, the tourism industry, and adjacent sectors wherever they might be set up while harming the health of host communities with pollution. Fossil gas also produces emissions which will make the climate emergency worse, further increasing the burdens of Filipinos who are already forced to deal with the violent disasters brought about by the climate emergency. We ask our congressmen, if they really have the best interests of consumers and Filipino communities at heart, to reject this bill,” said Bishop Gerry Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos.
The push for gas was criticized for its lack of economic sense, as fossil fuel prices remain high due to low supply, high demand, and the uncertainties brought about by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“God has gifted the Philippines with the means to free itself from its dependence on fossil fuels, especially imported coal and gas. We have large untapped reserves of renewable energy, and 13.5 gigawatts are already expected to enter the grid through the Green Energy Auction Program in the next three years.
This electricity is much cheaper than electricity from gas, and its prices will be more stable for consumers because it will not be subject to changes in the world market.
Most importantly, renewable energy will allow us to fulfill our duty of being the stewards of God’s creation and protect our Common home, because it is sustainable and will not aggravate global warming,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo, National Director of Caritas Philippines.
Concerns were raised regarding how gas is being portrayed by the government as a “bridge fuel” for renewable energy despite risks it poses of derailing the transition while subjecting Filipinos to prolonged suffering from high energy prices.
“The numbers that matter to Filipinos are the price of electricity and the number of degrees global temperature would increase. Both numbers should be as low as possible. The Committee on Energy of the House of Representatives instead decided to make these numbers higher, to no one’s benefit, for reasons we can only guess at. IEEFA estimates that electricity from liquefied natural gas in the Philippines as much as nine pesos per kilowatt hour, or even higher considering global average prices reach 16 pesos. Renewable energy, meanwhile, costs three to six pesos. The bill is proposing not a ‘bridge fuel,’ but a lockin to prolonged use of costly, dirty fossil fuels. At the same time, it is creating stranded assets, because the transition to renewable energy is already underway,” said Gerry Arances, Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).*(BY